So you're done with your first year of college? Congratulations! If you're anything like me, you're already missing your friends and all your freedom. I am only one year in and I already feel like I know why people refer to college as the best years of your life. But all good things must come to an end, and my end came in the beginning of May when I made the drive north to spend my summer at home. Going home for the summer means making some adjustments:
1. "I'm so bored"
Honestly I've been home for around a month and I have been bored out of my mind. Don't ask me how long it took me to finish the entire series of One Tree Hill...
2. Where are my friends?
The days of walking down the hall or up the hill to see my friends are long gone.
3. Wait, it's not acceptable to order a pizza at midnight on the weekdays?
Yeah, I know my mom has a lot of food sitting in the fridge that I could eat, but there's nothing like sitting around a cramped dorm room with my friends sharing a pizza at any time of the day/night.
4. Coming home from a night out
I don't know about you, but when I come home late on a Saturday night, I am not the quietest person in the world. But now, instead of being worried about waking up my roommate, I have my parents to worry about...
5. People actually function before 11am?
It should probably be concerning how many times in the past three weeks that my mom has had to come and wake me up because it's almost noon.
6. "I think I'll go to Boston"
Did I mention how I missed my friends? Well, lucky for most of my friends, they all live within two hours max from each other. I've already been down to Massachusetts once and I'm already ready to go back...
7. Home Cooked Meals
I know the thought of a nice home cooked meal is something that gets most college kids through eating their dining hall food, and I agree. But you see, my issue is that my mom is such a good cook, I have more of a fear of the summer 15 than I ever had for the dreaded "Freshman 15."
8. I can't keep my clothes in a pile on the floor?
Hate to break it to you mom, but my room was not always the cleanest at school. And after seven months of my room being a little messy (or maybe a lot), I just can't seem to break the habit.
9. "How did you do this semester?"
I cannot even count how many times I've been asked this question and will continue to be asked this question for the rest of the summer.
10. Re-connecting with Old Friends
This adjustment can go either way. In high school, it was easy to stay up to date on everyones lives, but since being away from home, other than the occasional text here and there or keeping up through social media, I have been absent from most of my friends lives for the past seven months. Luckily for me, I have fallen into the same patterns with my old friends, but I have to keep in mind that they've changed just as much as I have this year.
11. Less than 100 days until I go back? What?
Maybe you adjust quickly, or maybe it takes you awhile. But by the time you are finally adjusted, it's going to be time to go back to school before you know it.
Adjusting to home life may be difficult at first, but hey, at least you don't have to wear flip flops in the shower. Soon enough, you'll be back to the dorm life and the dining hall food, so enjoy all the temporary adjustments that really aren't so bad while they're there.
